We are not here to make bad pitches: Venkat

Ahmedabad: Chairman of BCCI's ground and wicket committee Venkatsundaram on Saturday expressed satisfaction at the pre-season' work being done at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera - the venue for first Test match between India and New Zealand, beginning October 8. "We inspected the ground on Saturday and interacted with the groundsman. I am satisfied with the pre-season' work and we hope that it would be a good wicket favourable for good cricket," he told reporters here. "Due to rains, the outfield is also good," he said. The chairman, however, refused to say whether the pitch would favour seamers, spinners or batsmen.

To a question, he said, "It would favour good cricket and it is important that playing conditions are good." When pointed out that India had complained of unfavourable batting pitches being prepared during their tour to New Zealand last year, he asserted, "We are not here to make bad pitches. If that is required, we are not needed. The BCCI has appointed us to make good pitches and ensure favourable playing conditions."

Ruling out doctoring of pitches, he asked, "Would you like to see a match where a team gets out for 100 or 70?" "Ideally, the ball must bounce on the first two days, then it should be favourable for batsmen and it should turn on the last two days," he said. Venkatsundaram also advocated one One-day match about 15 days before the first Test and said, "We can know the condition of the pitch and ground and make sure that it is good."